[Haifux] Cancelled Speech in Haifa, Israel

[Orr Dunkelman]

There are two elements to the answer.

The first one - feel free to organize whatever you want. As said
before, Haifux itself cannot organize it, and in any case, RMS refuses
to "acknowledge" Haifux, due to the standard claim that we are a Linux
club and not a GNU/Linux club (nothing to do with middle east
politics).

As I've mentioned a few times before, he has the right to be pissed
off that we do not call it GNU/Linux, and I have the right to think he
does not understand reality, and the concept of a PR, and the fact you
need a name that everybody can relate to, and not two names, and now
that Linux is out there, he's fight, as noble and just as it is, is
harmful to everyone.

The second one - as a researcher I do get invited to different places.
In case I want to take the opportunity and give another talk in a
different place, I check _well in advance_ with my hosts if it is
possible. I never received a negative answer, and if I ever get a
negative answer, I will re-think my entire trip (and there is a good
chance I will cancel it). Hence, I am not very impressed with his
behaviour, and I would not even bother to blow my nose at his general
direction. If anyone wishes to organize such an event, I will not
interfere, but I would urge that person to think what would have been
his reaction if the situation was opposite. If, for example, Liberman
would have invited him to Israel, under the condition he won't speak
with a Palestinian audience (academic), and you would have boycotted
his talk in the university/technion, then I believe you should boycott
his talks now as well, let him be the best speaker ever.

On Thu, Jun 2, 2011 at 12:20 AM, Eyal Rozenberg
<eyalroz at cs.technion.ac.il> wrote:
>
> An update on the RMS issue. I know it is not really my place to intervene
> here, as I'm a mostly-inactive member of Haifux, and I know many of you may
> be annoyed by what I'm about to say, but still, I would like to hear
> Stallman in Haifa and I'm trying to see if this can be made to happen
> somehow.
>
> Dr. Stallman has indicated he will be able to attend an event in Haifa if it
> meets the boycott criteria. Literally, he said this:
>
> On 01/06/2011 04:04, Richard Stallman wrote:
>>
>> Are you interested in helping to arrange a speech in a non-university
>> venue in Haifa?
>
> after writing:
>
> On 01/06/2011 04:04, Richard Stallman wrote:
>> I am publicizing this response.
>>
>>
>> I don't advocate a blanket boycott of Israeli universities, but I am
>> not going to campaign against it either.  I see where they are coming
>> from: Israel's occupation policies are horrible.  Nonviolent protests
>> are crushed with persistent brutality.  (See
>> http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=221897.)
>>
>> Palestinians who are against violence are looking desperately for
>> some method of nonviolent resistance.  I can't blame them for it
>> even if I don't agree entirely with the details.  Thus, I don't
>> resent their insistence.
>
> Anyway, it's not just the university venue, it's rather that RMS'
> Palestinian hosts are duty-bound to cancel his visit if it includes
> relations with boycottable Israeli institutions:
>
> http://pacbi.org/etemplate.php?id=1421
>
> Guideline 3. Yes, that includes ourselves (= Haifux), not just Haifa U or
> the Technion . However, a meeting organized by individuals, with no
> organization behind it, is Kosher: there is _no_ boycott of Israeli
> individuals. Call it a "Free Software enthusiasts' meeting with RMS" or
> something. So would be a meeting organized by an appropriately dissenting
> organization, which may also be worth looking into.
>
> Now, I can't take it upon myself to organize this, but if some people are
> interested in making this happen, like I said, it is possible, and RMS is
> willing to speak in Haifa.
>
> Eyal
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>



-- 
Orr Dunkelman,
Orr.Dunkelman at gmail.com

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